Reviews

The Summer Love Strategy by Ray Stoeve

missy_reading's review

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This was an interesting book. I thought that the premise sounded right up my ally, but the execution didn't work for me personally. Now will it work for teens who are in this stage of life? I absolutely think it will. I thought that the characters were very well fleshed out and acted appropriate for the age that they were meant to be. I think that books like this are so important for those who are queer or exploring their identity. I think that this is a fun book for the summer. I do feel like the basketball element could also appeal to a wider set of audiences. 

kemorgan4's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

The "Summer Love Strategy" follows Hayley and Talia over the course of a high school summer. Hayley and Talia have been best friends forever, they were even born at the same hospital on the same day! 

However, after a crushed heartbreak, Hayley, along with Talia, devise a "summer love strategy" for finding new girlfriends. After a double date, things crumble and Hayley has to admit her real feelings to her friends, family, and Talia. 

This book is definitely a Gen Z YA book. It has a bunch of different queer and neurodivergent representations, which I enjoyed. It is easily readable, and at times I felt it was juvenile, even for a YA book. Overall an easy read. 3/5 stars.  

Thanks to Netgalley and Amulet Books for a free eARC in exchange for an honest review.

You can get this book on May 7, 2024!

aspring's review against another edition

2.75

i feel like i’m rating this harshly but this just wasn’t an enjoyable read for me unfortunately. the writing was fine, the plot wasn’t very well fleshed out, the characters were boring. the only things unique about them seemed to be their queerness and neurodivergence which i’m sad about, because the rep was so wonderful to see! but the story itself fell flat, and the romance wasn’t very romantic.

i hope others enjoy this more <3

bookishmillennial's review against another edition

emotional funny lighthearted reflective fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

 disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me here: https://linktr.ee/bookishmillennial

This was a breezy spring read (just in time to be read as a beach read though!) and I loved the authentic representation of an almost entirely neurodivergent and queer cast of characters! I love when characters reflect the world we live in - this book is set in Seattle, Washington, U.S.A., so I felt it rang true to that area specifically!

This book centers a *lot* on Hayley's feelings and her inner monologue as she sorted through and came to terms with her crushes. Hayley and Talia make a "summer love strategy" list of places they will go during summer in Seattle to manifest a "meet cute," and they do go to these events, like a MUNA concert, but those events are honestly over so quickly and not much happens at them. Hence, why this read to me as very character-driven and mostly Hayley-driven. It wasn't bad, but the pace jumped quickly from scenes, but then spent a lot of time in those scenes inside Hayley's head.

I can't really think of any content warnings, because the biggest conflicts in this book were internal with how Hayley was anxious over her crush on Talia, and then a big blowout fight between them, but nothing major sticks out to me. Plz correct me if I'm wrong, but I just don't remember any -isms or microaggressions. Maybe almost ghosting? Or a big friendship fight? But idk how to categorize that. So just be mindful of that!

Overall, I would have loved a few more instances of buildup between Hayley and Talia's romance before their epiphanies, but I was very happy for these honeys, and the neurodivergent representation was spot on, especially when one of the characters has a meltdown and shuts down (at least in my experience, which I recognize is not representative of *all* neurodivergent babes). 

rep: transfemme LI, sapphic MC, demiromantic and demisexual character, autistic LI, SC with ADHD

aliviasbookshelf's review against another edition

funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

kaitlyns_library's review

5.0

This book was so wholesome and precious! I loved the diversity and representation in this book. Talia and Hayley come up with a strategy to find girlfriends over the summer; just like the romcoms they see on TV. This romcom was so cute and I really loved how quickly I read it because I enjoyed it so much!

chippyreads's review

4.0

This was such a sweet book. As an aspec person I absolutely adore friends to lovers. 

Full of teenage feelings and big emotions. Perfect for those looking for a Queer YA book full of Queer joy. 

-Friends to Lovers
-Cis x Trans sapphic relationship
-Lesbian cis MC 
-Trans girl MC / demisexual/romantic
-Neurodivergent cast (anxiety, autism)
-Queer cast
-Big Summer vibes

Rating: Great! = 4 stars

I received this eARC from the publisher (Abrams Kids, Amulet Books) with the intention of reading and sharing an honest review

sapphic_library's review against another edition

emotional funny hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

"the summer love strategy" is a sapphic YA romance about two best friends who come up with a plan to find girlfriends this summer, only to end up falling for each other instead. it's a really cute story and i would definitely recommend it to anyone who likes friends-to-lovers with a side of pining and miscommunication. my only issue with the book is that the author had a tendency to over-describe everything and i kept thinking, "show, don't tell. show, don't tell," over and over again. that being said, it was a fun read and i definitely enjoyed it! thanks to netgalley and abrams books for the advanced copy. "the summer love strategy" comes out may 7th!

eternallyicarian's review against another edition

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

and1's review

3.0

Thank you Netgalley for the e-ARC!  

The Summer Love Strategy is an easy book to read, with diverse characters and various themes. It reflects teenage worries, identity issues as well as queer joy. I enjoyed reading this book, simply based on what it tries to convey and the topics that were thrown back and forth. Nevertheless it sometimes felt flat, with “unnecessary additions”.

While the main character had a strong development, the others lacked one. None of them were interesting enough on their own, and could’ve easily been reduced or merged together. I enjoyed the fact that the narration came off as very teenager like, however I often found the descriptive manner of it tiring. 

What I loved about this book was the way parental figures were portrayed. Always a guiding voice, a helping hand, exactly what’s needed from a child’s perspective. Perfect for those who are about to come out or recently did, viewing it as an example of support and comfort. 

I’d recommend The Summer Love Strategy to anyone looking for a fun quick read. If you’re looking for a contemporary queer romance, this is definitely the book for you.